Should I buy backlinks or use SEO shortcuts?

The answer

No. Google's spam policies list buying or selling links for ranking purposes as link spam, along with keyword stuffing and generating many pages mainly to manipulate rankings, and violations can lead to lower visibility. Shortcuts may give short-term attention but carry real risk. Focus on useful pages, honest business information and genuine mentions. If an agency promises a guaranteed first-page position, ask how it will be achieved and be cautious.